Patents – Bozrah’s Inventive Minds

From the time the federal government first began issuing patents in 1790, Connecticut was a national leader in patenting its abundant innovations. This dominance continued into the 19th and early 20th centuries when Connecticut led the country in the number of patents issued per capita. During this time, the national average for patents issued was one per every 3,000 people, but Connecticut’s ranged from one patent per 700 to one per 1,000 people. Additionally, in 1809, a Connecticut resident, Mary Kies of South Killingly, actually received the first US patent issued to any woman in the United States. While not all of the state’s patents resulted in viable products or processes, the efforts of many Connecticut inventors did stimulate the growth of the state’s business and industry, further contributing to the broader national economy.